


Miss Missing You

by merlin_the_dragonlord



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, M/M, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-03-10
Packaged: 2018-05-25 22:44:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6213154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merlin_the_dragonlord/pseuds/merlin_the_dragonlord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iruka is dying. Naruto finds out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Miss Missing You

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a really long while since I've been in the Naruto fandom but unfortunately I just recently binge-watched 350 episodes of Shippuden. So here I am. With heart-wrenching angst.

_This isn’t so bad_. Iruka frowned up at the ceiling, painfully aware that he was dying. It seemed much more surreal than it actually was. He always thought that he would die on the battlefield, as most shinobi were prone to doing, not surrounded by monitors and lines in a sterile hospital room.

The door slammed open and Tsunade stalked in. Iruka wasn’t surprised to see Shizune follow her in, but he was surprised to see Naruto stroll in, eyes closed and arms on his head. And of course, he was complaining. “Granny Tsunade, I don’t understand why you’re dragging me here! I have a ton of training to do, especially since Kakashi-sensei isn’t around.” Iruka winced at that reminder. “Anyways, why are you showing me the intensive care unit? This is where people come to die!” Well, he wasn’t wrong.

“Brat.” Tsunade’s tone was much more solemn than Iruka had ever heard it in the past. “Open your damned eyes.” She sounded so _tired_. Iruka’s heart went out to her. She had been his main medic from the time she came back, around when his disease began to take a critical toll. She had worked tirelessly trying to heal him and even brought in Sakura and Shizune to help. It hadn’t worked. Iruka only hoped that her guilt would not last very long past his death.

Naruto opened his eyes and paled immediately when he saw his beloved Academy teacher on the bed. “I-Iruka-sensei?” His hands clenched into fists. “I thought you were out on a mission.” That had been his cover story. “Why…?” Helplessly, he looked around the room, his eyes lingering on the giant monitor showing his vital stats. He turned to Tsunade and Shizune. “This is a joke, right? You guys are trying to get me back for my pranks from before?” He forced out a laugh and held out his hands. “You got me. You can stop pretending to be sick, sensei.” He turned his head back and flashed a wide smile, but Iruka could see his hands trembling. It was strange how his senses seemed to be heightened, this close to death.

“I’m sorry, Naruto.” Iruka had started to find his voice failing him. He hated the croak that came from his throat, but it hurt to try to speak any louder than a whisper. “I didn’t want anyone to worry.”

Naruto stared at him with betrayed eyes before he turned abruptly and ran out of the room. Iruka sighed, but let him go. Naruto would return.

“Do you want me to go after him, Tsunade-sama?” Shizune asked quietly.

The Hokage shook her head. “No, he’ll come back sooner or later.”

“Hopefully sooner.” Iruka joked. Tsunade glared at him. “Sorry.” There was a silence in the room. “Thank you, though. For bringing him.” He stared at the door wistfully. “I know he can be hard to deal with.”

“He’ll come around.” Shizune said softly. “More importantly, how are you?”

“I’m… I’ll be all right.” Nothing he said would matter anymore. “I wish Kakashi were here.” He said softly.

Tsunade let out a soft sigh and sunk down into the chair next to the bed. She slumped down, a clear contrast from her normally poised self. “I know, brat. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Tsunade-sama.” Iruka smiled. “I know how insistent Kakashi is.” As soon as Iruka had informed Kakashi that he was departing on a “mission”, his lover had transported to the mission room and demanded his own mission. He hated coming home to an empty house and would avoid being in Konoha without Iruka at all costs.

“You’re too good for him.” Tsunade shook her head. “He’s going to kill me over this.”

“I wrote him a letter.” It seemed cheap, leaving Kakashi with nothing but a letter. “It should suffice.”

“Kakashi Hatake, dissuaded by a letter?” Her laugh was hollow.

Iruka started to laugh too, but it quickly turned into a hacking cough. Shizune immediately went to his side and placed a hand on his chest. The green glow of medical jutsu was a familiar sight. “I-I’m all right, Shizune-san.”

Tsunade rose slowly. “We should let you rest.” Shizune withdrew her hand, a worried expression on her face, but Iruka gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll add Naruto to the list of permitted guests.”

Even with his weak chakra, he could sense a familiar, overwhelming chakra right outside his window. “That would be lovely.”

Tsunade’s eyes narrowed at the window. “Don’t overexert yourself.” She warned, before leaving.

As soon as the door slid shut, the window opened and Naruto climbed on the windowsill. He hesitated in a crouch, as if not sure whether he was welcome.

“You’re letting the heat in.” Iruka said lightly. That prompted Naruto to fully climb in. “I’m sorry.”

“No… I’m sorry, Iruka-sensei.” Naruto refused to meet his eyes. “I thought about it… and I understand why you kept it a secret. I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have…” His shoulders were shaking and he let out a sob. “You’re not going to make it, are you?”

“Come here.” Iruka reached out a hand and Naruto came closer, tears still streaming down his face. “I’ve known this day was coming for a very long time.”

“It’s not fair!” Naruto’s hands clenched into fists. “Why does everyone I love leave?” Instead of the confident sixteen year old that Konoha adored and loved, here stood a lost orphan about to lose his first father figure in his life. Iruka was slammed with guilt at that reminder.

“You have Kakashi and Sakura.” He reminded him gently.

His eyes widened in realization. “Kakashi-sensei doesn’t know, does he?”

“No.” Iruka suddenly realized how tired he was. He wasn’t used to so much activity around him. “No he doesn’t.”

“Why?”

“Because it would have destroyed him.” Kakashi would have literally gone to hell and back if it meant that Iruka survived. Iruka had thought about it once his health started taking a turn for the worst, but he knew he didn’t want to see his lover suffer needlessly.

“Coming back to you dead will destroy him.” Naruto pointed out.

“He’ll be okay. He always is.” His arms felt so heavy, but he managed to reach out and pick up the letter from his bedside table. “This is for you.” Naruto took it. “It’s my will. I’m leaving everything to you.” Iruka winced when he saw the envelope crinkle in his palm, but that was Naruto.

“Can I stay with you?” He seemed to realize that Iruka was nearing his last moments.

Iruka smiled and nodded. “I wouldn’t want to go any other way.” He thought about it and finally decided on his final words. They had to be good ones. “Naruto, you’re going to become a great Hokage.” He murmured, his words growing quieter and quieter. “I believe it.” The edges of his vision began to blur and darken.

“I’ll miss you.” Naruto’s voice sounded distant. There was a sharp beeping and Iruka wanted so hard to reach out a hand to shut the alarm off, but the world went black before he could. _Just five more minutes, Kakashi…._

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are much appreciated. :D


End file.
